


I Will Miss You Forever

by BrownSugarC



Category: NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-06 20:22:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15893439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrownSugarC/pseuds/BrownSugarC
Summary: Trying to help, Tammy Gregorio looked through Christopher LaSalle’s desk for old case files.  She came across a jewelry box with a locket inside.  On the back of the locket was an inscription “I will miss you forever”.  Inside she found a photo of Christopher LaSalle and Sonja Percy.  Dammit LaSalle, this could have made all the difference in the world.  She returned the locket to the drawer and wiped the tears from her eyes as she walked back upstairs to the conference room.





	1. The Accident

“Sonja?  This is Tammy Gregorio.”

“Hey Tammy, What’s up?  It’s been a while.  I hear that Pride’s back on duty.  How’s everything?”

“Well, okay Sonja but I have a reason for calling.  It’s about Chris.”

“What about him?”

“He’s been hurt.”

“Hurt?  What happened?"

“He was out on a boat with a friend and the mast came loose, rotated and hit him in the temple.  He was unconscious for almost 24 hours.  He has had some memory loss and…”

“And what Tammy?!”

"He’s awake now and he keeps asking for City Mouse.  Ms. Loretta told him that she was away on assignment.  He has asked every day and doesn’t understand why you haven’t called.  Pride told him that City Mouse is under cover.”

“Look I hate to ask this Sonja, but is there any way that you could come.”

“Why me?”

“Well, he still thinks you’re his partner.  The doctors think that your presence may make a difference.”

“Let me check Tammy.  I’ll call you back first thing in the morning.”

_The next day._

“Hey Tammy, Sonja Percy here.  I can get a few days.  I’ll fly out this afternoon.”

“Thanks Sonja.  Send me your flight number and I’ll pick you up.”


	2. How Bad Is It?

“Hey Tammy” I say as she hugs me tightly.

“So how’s he doing?” I ask.

“Physically okay.  He has a serious memory loss.”

“Just how bad is it.?”

“He remembers you guys at La Rue.  He has no memory of you leaving NCIS, Pride being shot or the new NCIS team members.”  The medical team thinks something significant must have happened that day or time period that he would go back to then.  I wasn’t with you and Pride when you found the documents.  Does that mean something to you?”

“Yes, I think so, but I need to think about it a little more and remember just what happened.   That’s day I almost got pushed off the building.  And when Chris and I…”

“You what?”

“I don’t want to go back to that memory right now.  It’s a little painful Tammy.”

“You know that you’re welcome to stay with me right Sonja?”

“Naw, I don’t want to impose.  I made a reservation.”

“All right.  Well let’s get you checked in then we’ll go see Chris.”

_Later at the hospital_

“Hey LaSalle, what are you up to?”

“Percy!  Where you been?  They told me that you were on a mission.  Guess I forgot.”

“Well, I’m here now Chris.  How are you?”

“I’m okay, but I’m tired of being in here.  I don’t know why they won’t let me go home.  And I don’t know why King called momma.”

“Well Chris, I would suspect that they needed someone to authorize your medical care.”

“When did you get back?  Guessing you got the bad guys!”

“A few hours ago.  So how are you really Chris?” 

“I feel okay, but I don’t understand why everyone keeps quizzing me.

“Hey Percy?”

“Yes.”

“I have had a lot of time to think while I have been laying here.  Remember what we said at the cemetery?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then remember what King said after he dug that box of documents up out of the sidewalk?”

“Yeah.”

“So what if I was wrong Percy?”

“About what?”

“About us.  Maybe I should give us a chance to see if we could build something on top of our friendship.”

“Are you for real Chris?”

“Yes.  Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re the one who insisted we not do anything”

“Is that really what you want Percy?”

“I don’t think that I can answer that right now.”

_Just then in walks Mrs. LaSalle_

“Momma this is…”

“I know who this is.  Sonja Percy!  She’s all you have talked about since you woke up Monday.”

“Come on momma.  Don’t be telling all my business.  Sonja just got here.  We’ve only spoken for a few minutes.”

“Well Sonja, I’m happy to meet you” she says as I extend my hand.  “Child no handshake.  I’m old enough to be your mother.  Give me a hug.”


	3. Revisiting the Past

“Hey guys, what’s happening?”

“Hey Percy.  It’s good to see you again.”

“You too Triple P.”

“Hey P, do you mind giving us a few moments?”

“Sure Chris”

“Good morning Sonja.  It’s good to see you.”

“You too Chris.  Do you know anything new?”

“No. The doctors say my memories may come back soon.  I know one thing though.”

“What’s that Chris?”

“I still want to talk about us.”

“What about us?”  I reply as I take one step back as Chris takes two toward me.

“Come on Sonja.  You were interested a couple of months ago.  What changed?”

I started trying to think how to respond.  We were told not to fill in the blanks yet. Over a year has passed since I last saw Christopher.   Suddenly I realize that I was backed up to the end of Chris’ bed with nowhere to go.

“Look Percy, just give me a chance.  I’m going to have to go on medical leave for a few weeks.  You can stop by and come get me and I can be with you at the condo.”

Backed up against the bed, I felt trapped yet I made no attempt to evade his embrace or his kisses.  This is so wrong Sonja I thought but I still didn’t move away. Finally, I pushed him away. 

“ Chris.  I think we need to talk with the doctor about this”

“All right Sonja.  I can wait no matter what barriers you put up. Come sit with me and tell me about is going on at the office.”

Thank goodness Tammy comes in right then.  “Hey Tammy.  Good timing.  Chris was just asking what was going on at the office.  Why don’t you tell him while I go find the doctor?”

Tammy appears to give me a shorthanded version of what is going on in the office but then I noticed that she got real quiet.

“Chris, I found something.  I’m not sure if I am doing the right thing but I have noticed that you and Percy seem awful close these past few days.” 

“Yes. Tammy.  You know that we have had a complicated relationship for months now.  I have had plenty of time sitting/ laying around here to realize that I made a mistake in not seeing if we could have something.  You know that’s why we drifted apart and why she sometimes ignores me.”

“What did you want say?  You found something?” 

“Yes, this” she says as she hands me a box.”

I open the jewelry box and find a white gold locket.  As I turn it over, I see the words “I will miss you forever”.  Hummm I thought as I opened it.  I was surprised to find a photo of Percy and me inside.  I looked at Tammy with questioning eyes.  “I don’t remember this Tammy where did it come from?”

“I found it in your desk drawer at the office.”

“Well thanks” I say as I put it in my robe pocket.

Evidentially I looked tired because Tammy begged off that she had to get back to the office. 

After lunch I looked up when I heard the door open.  There was Sonja again.  I could smell her perfume as she got closer to me.  I am surprised that it made realized how much I had missed that smell and her.

“So did you eat?” I asked. 

“A little she responded.  Actually I realized that I needed to work out so I went down to the police gym.  I have to be honest Chris.  I wasn’t ready to be here with you in these close quarters.  You may have forgotten some of what has happened between the two of us but I haven’t.  It, it is difficult to be this close to you again.”

“Why is that Sonja?”

“I thought hard about that when I was running a little while ago.  I wanted to be with you Chris.  I have never met a man like you who just constantly chipped away at me.  For me it was a one day you were a friend and then suddenly one day I realized that I wanted more than that.  When I suggested it, you pushed me away from that idea.”

“Sonja, I know that.  That is an issue that I do remember but I told you I had to re think it.  I could have easily died or been injured more severely last week.  What if I couldn’t see or my mind just totally went wacky at the force of the mast.  As I lay over there, I found myself thinking/wondering just how I have survived without you right next to me and right here in my heart.  You are a wonderful woman Sonja Percy.  You’re smart, beautiful, inquisitive and resourceful.  We make a great team on the job.  I am not sure why I wouldn’t think we would be a great team in romantic way as well.

“Please just think about it, will you?”

 


	4. Devestation

“Good morning Agent LaSalle.”

“Hello Doctor Young.”

“Well, Agent LaSalle.  We are two months into your post-accident.  I thought we might see some memory recovery by now.  We are at the point where I am ready to consider other options but I need to allow you choose which avenue that you wish to pursue first.”

“We have three options.  We have been able to track your loss to a particular period in your life.  I’m going to give you the choice.  Should we start with your job, your business or your personal/romantic relationships? “

“That’s hard.  Well, I’m not sure where my relationship is but I can’t imagine being able to handle anything without the support of the woman that I have some feelings for.” I reply.

“And who would that be, Chris.”

“I work with her.  Her name is Sonja Percy.”

“Okay.  We’ll ask Ms. Percy to stop in.”

_Three days later_

 “So Agent LaSalle.  Remind me how you know Ms. Percy?”

“We work together for the federal government.”

“How long has that been?”

“About two years now.”

“When was the last time you saw her before you injured?”

“We were on a case and then had drinks at King’s bar.”

“So tell me after you left the bar what happened.” 

“I went home, went to bed and got up Saturday morning.  After I went to see the kids at the hospital, I went boating and then work up here in the hospital with my mother and boss.”

“Ms. Percy, when was the last time that you saw or talked to Agent LaSalle.”

“It’s been over a year.”

“What happened?  The doctor asked”

“I took a job with the FBI and moved to Washington, D.C.”

“Real funny Percy.  Now tell him the truth.” I chime in.

“No, Agent LaSalle.  That is the truth.  When you had the accident you .lost some of your memory” the doctor interjects.

“What?  How much?  Are you sure?” I ask.

“We are trying to determine that.  But it looks like 12 to 14 months.  We know for sure the day that you closed that case out.”

“So what happened during that time and now?” I ask.

“I’m going to try to help you to remember.”

After a difficult hour, the doctor decided that we have talked enough for today.

“Don’t be discouraged Agent LaSalle.” Dr. Young states.   “These things take time.  You have your friends and your mother here to help you get through this.”

“I’ll leave you to have your lunch.  You’re free to go out on the grounds, but you need to stay in your gown and robe for a couple more days.”

“Percy?”

“Yes Chris”.

“Can you come closer?”

“Sure Chris.”

“Percy?”

“Yes.”

“Can I hold you close?”

“Uh … well, yes.”

As hard as I tried, I realized that I could not hold on to my fear.  There are only three women that I trusted with my life and two of them were in the hospital.

Percy held me tight and finally persuaded me to sit on the bed.  The next thing I remember was hearing momma’s voice which startled me awake.  As I look around, I see Percy lying beside me on the bed.

After momma comes around to the other side of the bed, she backs out of the room with that coy smile of hers and turns the lights off as the door closes.  I lay my head back down and move closer to Percy and resume my nap.

It was a little after 4 when a nurse finally wakes us up.  Percy pulled away quickly after realizing that she had fallen asleep in my arms.

“It’s a little late to try to be embarrassed Percy I say.  You’ve been asleep in my arms for most of the afternoon.  We never did eat.  I’m starved.”

“I can go pick us up something quick.  Do you know what you want or do you trust me.” Percy asks.”

“I trust you.” I reply.

It only takes Percy 20 minutes to get back.  We find a quiet spot on the grounds.  After we eat, I am able to coax Percy to move closer to me on the bench.  I am comforted by her reassuring words.  She was sweet enough to sing one of my favorite songs to me with that beautiful voice of hers.  Finally as darkness falls, we retreat back to my room.

“So Percy, where does this leave us?  I haven’t forgotten my feelings for you.  I meant what I said when we talked on the phone yesterday.  I want to re-visit my unwise decision to push you away.”

“I don’t know Chris.  I feel like I am taking advantage of the situation.  I know what went down.  Plus you have no idea of the hurt in my heart from those months of our history.  You are missing every reason in your memory why you put a stop to pursuing an ‘us.’

Percy flew back to D. C. without making a commitment either way.  I could only guess that she had an assignment. King explained that she may not be able to communicate with me because of her mission.  “The gaps come with the line of work that she is in now.  I am sure we will hear from her soon” he said remarked.

 


	5. Drummed Out

For the first time in a year I had trouble focusing while deployed on a mission.  On the way back to the states I realized that I could not continue this way.  I had to deal with LaSalle and this invasion of him into my life.

I called Chris as soon as I got back to my condo.  “Hello Christopher.  I’m back.”

“Hello beautiful” he responded.

“I wasn’t sure where I would find you.  I would like to come see you.”

“I was hoping that you would call sometime soon.  I am going to have to leave my job.  Your timing couldn’t be better.

Thank goodness she called I thought. I am still having difficulty trying to understand this whole thing.  Not being a cop?  How can I deal with that?

Sonja agreed to fly out and support me as I make my way through the official process.

It was decided that I would relocate back to Alabama for my own safety.  NCIS was concerned because of the memory loss that I would not remember who the bad guys were. The weapons and gun closet were long gone.  I had been stripped of my license to carry months ago.

Tammy, Sabastian and Ms. Loretta helped Sonja and me pack up the house.  It was very helpful to have Sabastian and Ms. Loretta who were use to cataloguing crime system.  There were a number of items and photos that I had no idea of who or what they were.  Their detailing of them would allow me or family members to locate the cartons that they were stored in for review later on.

The movers came two days later and loaded up everything.  I had decided that I would live in town in a house at least for a while until I got my driver’s license back.

The team had lunch for me on Thursday.  I was surprised by the number of old colleagues at both the NOPD and the Coast Guard that stopped by.  The Mayor gave me a wonderful print of the city in appreciation for my contribution in helping saving the city when her predecessor tried to blow the levy.

Sonja and I flew out to D.C. the next day.  I was being required to take a medical exam for the disability award.  I was still having trouble dealing with the aftermath of my injury.

I was thankful that it was only those fourteen months that seemed to be missing from my memory.  I had no problem remembering my life before that or learning new things.  The only good thing about the whole experience was that Percy was back in my life.

There had been an attraction between us for a long time.  Once she forgave me for pushing her away all those months ago, she allowed me to find a place in her heart.  Unfortunately there were still complications.  She felt she was taking advantage of me because I did not want to revisit my in initial decision not to pursue a relationship with her and did not remember the difficulties after our decision and my injury. 

I wanted to move on and so I did all those things that men do in pursuing a woman.  Romantic dining the days she was in New Orleans.  Surprise flowers at her apartment when she was in D.C.

One night after a particular difficult prep session for a mission, I sent her a reservation at a spa.  The appointment information arrived for her at her office the next morning.  She called me that evening while soaking in a gigantic whirlpool at the spa.

We talked on screen every night.  Often the last thing I heard each night was her voice on the phone.

I had already invited her to Alabama to help me choose the renovation design in my new home.  I wanted her to put her touch on the house since I was planning on her also spending time there.

I had never been to her D.C. condo.  I was ready to remain being the perfect guest but Sonja had other plans.  Sonja had taken Monday off as well to accompany me for the first session with the disability determination doctor.  Since she knew me before and after the incident, she could provide the team with insight of my professional abilities and the memory gap.

Given the assessments in New Orleans and King’s observations, they were able to give me a preliminary determination on Thursday.  Nearly destroyed, I could not eat that night and went directly to my room.

Sonja knocked softly but I just responded “not now”.  Later I heard the door open and Sonja crawled into bed with me.  In all my pain, sorrow and loss, I cried like a baby.  Sonja never said a word.  I woke up the next morning with her wrapped in my arms and me with an unexpected morning erection.

I got up and went and took a cold shower.  I could smell coffee when I came out of my room.  Sonja had all the items for waffles.  We ate and then drove over to her gym to work out an hour later.  I’m sure they had to get a new bag after I left because I punched it for over thirty minutes.

On our way back to the condo I asked Sonja if she would allow me to take her out to dinner.  Tammy had helped me to pick out a dress at her favorite ‘Nola’ shop which arrived by courier just before noon.  Sonja was like a little school girl opening the box and was thrilled to see the dress that she had admired while window shopping with Tammy.

“Sonja sometime in my life, I bought this for you.  It was lying in my desk drawer.  I can only guess that I bought it for you after you decided to leave NCIS.  The words are true regardless of when I bought it.”  As she opened the box there laid the locket that I had bought for her.  She turned it over and read the inscription ‘I will miss you forever’ then opened the locket to see the photo of the two of us.  “Oh, Chris, it’s beautiful.  I will always treasure it.”

We stopped at a couple of clubs after dinner.  As we danced, I realized how wonderful it felt to have Sonja in my arms and how supportive that she had been these past months.  It was not just my heart responding to her being so close to me.  Sonja realized it too. “Let’s go home and see if we can take care of that” she whispered in my ear.

Our clothes were strewn from the front door to her bed.  Fortunately she had enough sense to make sure that we had protection because I was absolutely lost to the moment.

We did not get dressed Saturday.  I did my laundry load by load in-between rounds in the bedroom.

Sunday morning we got up and ran, showered and were right back in the bed until it was time for me to head to the airport.


	6. The Farm

Back in Alabama I vacillated back and forth between what I did and did not remember about the business.  All that I had learned the past year had vanished from my memory.  Then I was miserable not having Sonja with me.  She had planned to fly down for the weekend.

My week was spent transferring the ownership over to a blind trust.  I probably should have just sold it off but the business was doing really well.  The ongoing profits provided for Cade’s very expensive care.  Momma had no financial worries at all.

Sonja finally flew in.  I was able to once again drive and met her at the airport.  I smiled to myself realizing that I did remember the routine of armed agents recovering their weapons.  I laid one on Sonja who quickly pushed me away while whispering “not here Chris!” 

I had brought dinner in from the ranch.  Marie could cook a pot roast like no other and had a way in the vegetable garden that delighted Sonja.

Earlier in the evening, Sonja went take a quick shower.  I watched her as she picked up her necklace and walked over and took it out of her hand.  Aren’t you kind of tired of wearing this I asked?  Her eyes got big as she replied “of course not Chris, you gave this to me”

“Well” I said “I’ll trade you for this.  I handed her another jewelry box.  This one contained a diamond engagement ring and a wedding band that held diamonds from my grandmother’s own wedding band.  “Oh they’re beautiful Chris.”  “So will you marry me Sonja Percy?”

“Oh yes, Christopher!”  I picked her up and twirl her around.

We spent most of the weekend talking.  I took Sonja to my father’s farm where one could get lost in the north forty.  My father had built a cabin at the top of one of the hills.  The staff had cleaned it up for me and we spent Saturday afternoon there.

Walking hand and hand I told Sonja about our difficult childhood.  Beau LaSalle was determined to become a success.  What he never told anyone was that it was my mother’s family money that provided the seed money for his business exploits.  I only discovered that fact after digging through the organizational documents and found the original promissory note from my grandfather.  I did retain that memory so my anger about it remained for the rest of my life. 

Our father did not have the time to be at home with us children.  He about lost it when Cade drifted away from us.  Momma was supportive of me and when the time came for me to leave, provided a nest egg for me to make my way to New Orleans.  Momma provided a nurturing environment for all three of us.  However, social science shows that children need their father in their life and for us, that was missing.

Sonja on the other hand had advantages that a lot of children would want. Inspite of having a totally intact family unit she strayed.  She and her two best friends fell into drugs which ended up killing one of them and ruining the life of a second one.  It had been difficult to get the whole story out of Sonja when we were just friends.  Now, as a piece of her heart, she was able to relay the whole story to me.  I had met Marian and her daughter.  I shared comfort in the knowledge that Sonja had not only saved their lives, but was able to help them make a fresh start.

We had the time to make plans for the next year of our lives.  Long distance relationships are hard, but we used every available modern technique to keep in touch.  Marriage counseling was a little more difficult.  I ended up going there for the sessions.  I did my one on one sessions while Sonja was out of the country.  That allowed us to be able to spend precious time together when we both were in D.C.  I’m glad that we realized that we need to make a clean sweep before tying the knot.  We both carried a lot of baggage.  The joint sessions allowed us to learn a lot about each other that helped us as a couple in the ensuing years.


	7. The Marriage

Talk about ambiguities.  That’s where my mind went as I looked up the aisle and saw my bride for the first time on our wedding day.

Sonja looked like a princess in her dress.  However for a moment I saw “Agent Percy” kicking in a door on our first official assignment together.  I managed not to laugh out loud, but shared the moment with her later that night as we lay in bed and we both laughed.

I was surprised that Sonja agreed to have the wedding at my father’s ranch. I really thought she would cross that location off the list.  She had refused to come to New Orleans and thought that the capitol was too formal.

We chose to have a huge tent set up adjoining the pool.  The grounds provided ample parking for guest. Our sisters stood beside Sonja while King, Cade and my former NOPD partner stood up with me.

The wedding was a combination of our family’s cultures.  Included in Sonja’s bouquet were wild flowers from Alabama while each of the groom’s men wore a boutonniere of a yellow rose, Sonja’s favorite flower. 

Sonja had found this beautiful song by Michael Hoppe entitled ‘Beyond the Valley’ to walk into.  I could imagine it being played in the background as one sauntered through the farm on any sun filled day.

After we were pronounced husband and wife, we jumped the broom.  “Broom Jumping” is a ritual handed down from generation to generation by African Americans reminding them of a time when their vows were not legally sanctioned.  During slavery the ancestors sought the legitimacy of marriage by jumping over the broom and into the bonds of domesticity.  For the ancestors this small ritual was a legal and bonding act connecting item with the heritage of the home land and giving legitimacy, dignity and strength to their unions.  In their eyes this union was now sanctioned by “the almighty”.

Our first dance was to Dolly Parton’s version of her song ‘I’ll Always Love You.’  Sonja had surprised me during the ceremony with a video recording of her singing a song from Patti LaBelle.  I knew that she was one of her favorite singers and she found an early song of hers entitled ‘Love, Need and Want You’ that expressed her love for me.

The wedding cake included a traditional New Orleans ‘cake pull.’  The Cake Pull gets its roots from an old Victorian tradition of “ribbon pulling.” In those days, charms of luck and good fortune were placed into the wedding cake by the bride for her single friends. Nowadays, bakers place sterling silver charms with specific meanings inside the bottom layer of the bride’s cake and all the single ladies are given the opportunity to pull a charm from the cake (a ceremony called the “ribbon pull”) just before the cake is cut.  Sonja gifted her bridesmaids and momma with a charm bracelet that included the charms of the cake.

A sit down dinner and dancing followed the ceremony. We could all see the beautiful setting sun from the hill. It was picture perfect.

It had been a long day and we were both more than ready to shower and find our way to our bedroom.  We arrived at the house to find it filled with flowers.  Later we found out that Brody was behind the exquisite floral display.

We took off the next afternoon to fly to the Niagara Falls.  It was a picturesque site.  Sonja looked so at peace.  She said later on it was nice for a few days not to be looking over her shoulder for the bad guys.

 


	8. Regaining My Footing

Sonja and I had decided that we would have a bi-coastal relationship. Unfortunately I would bear the weight of the separation but at least we were on the same side of the country.  I quickly learned every scheduled air plane flight from home to D.C.

Sonja was on her first overseas assignment since the wedding when I received a phone call from Isler.  Hearing his voice put me into a panic.  I just knew he was calling to tell me that something had happened to my wife.

“I’m so sorry Agent LaSalle.  I should have thought this through better.”

“I’m calling to see if you might be interested in a position with the FBI. The Community Relations Unit works with citizens and citizen groups across the nation.  They target young people with programs like Teen/Youth Academies, Adopt a School, Junior Special Agents and Future Agencies in Training.” 

“Well Isler I hadn’t even thought of that.  Since I can’t get a gun permit with the feds, I had tried to put that part of my life behind me.”

“I understand that you have done a lot of volunteering with children so it would seem that communicating with them would be a strength that you could bring to the FBI.”

“Why don’t you think about flying out and we can review data and you can talk with the team.”

I found out later on that King had recommended me to Isler.  King and I first met when we were investigating separate cases that merged with a car in the case.  Several years later details that I had discovered came up in that old NOPD case in a new NCIS case. As I searched the old evidence, the finally resolution of the case fell out right to our feet.  We barely stop the murders of the victim’s wife and daughter.

Once I knew the details, I jumped at the opportunity.  Not only did I get to live in the same city with my wife, it allowed us to practice baby making more often. 

While I loved working with the FBI, being a father was the job I cherished the most.  Seven years after we were married Sonja became pregnant with our son Christopher.  He was ruddy like Cane and had Sonja’s father’s eyes.  I knew early on that we were going to have the beat the girls off.  Somehow he had every bit of charm that my old man had.  It was so interesting watching him hypnotize every grown woman he encountered.  His sister soon learned to let CJ doing the talking as they walked away with a handful of candy, cookies and in some cases an entire pie or cake.

Natalie on the other hand was a ‘master of facts’.  I swear that girl knew everything.  She read three newspapers a day.  Sonja would fuss about her being on the computer so much.  One day I called Natalie in and quizzed her on current affairs in front of Sonja.  Sonja was just stunned that she could tell her all about what was going on in European governments at that moment.  Natalie had inherited her mother’s quickness.  She played guard on her high school basketball team and was selected all conference and all academic her junior and senior years.

CJ would go running with his little sister as a safety issue and ended up going out for Cross Country.  No one was more surprised to see my brainiac son win the state 1500 meters championship in track his senior year.  He just shrugged it off and asked if I could drop him off in the morning at the library.

All I can say is thank goodness for momma and her advice.  Momma shared the writings of a man named Josh Mc Dowell who had conducted extensive research about raising teens.  While others would like to question his premise of the importance of having the father in the home with his children, his data was pretty spot on. 

Momma also impressed me to keep our home open to our kid’s friends.  I screened what they were watching on TV and limited the time they could spend on the gaming systems.  We invested in game boards and knew we were successful as we had to often break up full blown arguments over games, particularly Spades and Bid Whiz.  Darts was another special feature although I’m not sure whose warped mind dreamed up some of the things that the boys did with the gaming pieces.  Sadly I was often banned from the pool table.  The kids complained that it wasn’t fair for me to play with them since I had so much experience.

Most of the kids did not have grandmothers nearby and responded to momma in that role too.  While they wanted to act like she bored them, I could see the look of wonder on their face when she told them about her experiences from the 60’s and 70’s.  They loved the home made treats.  I noticed even the boys navigated toward her when she was in the kitchen baking something new for them to consume.

Each fall we hosted a back to school night which was actually an afternoon and evening.  We invited all of the kid’s friends and parents over for the day. I encourage our children to invite the ‘lone wolf kid’ as well.  It allowed me to meet their parents, informed the parents and the young people of the house rules and made sure that they knew that they were welcome.  Sonja talked with them about the activities that she did too.  I made sure that both the Sheriff and the Police Chief were there in plain clothes. They managed to meet all the girls individually and then visited with all the kids about drug use, bullying, abuse and how to handle reporting it.


	9. Post Script

We had sat down again right after I took the job with the FBI and charted out our next few years.  We thought the longest and hardest on having our children.  Momma had cornered Sonja about the responsibility of raising children.  We decided that I would go back to Alabama and that I would be the primary care giver. 

We built a new home on Momma’s land.  I could see the island where Cane and I had spent so much time from the front porch of the house.  I bought the boat that I always wanted and often coaxed Sonja to join me for one or two afternoons when she was with me while in country.  She would never admit that it relaxed her too.  She fussed about the sun until momma took her shopping for hats and bug spray. 

When the children were babies, she would keep them below while sitting on the deck with her stack of books, magazines and her Kindle under her hat and beach umbrella  As the children grew, we taught them how to be safe on the boat.  CJ often joined me to fish for dinner.

Sonja retired at 40 and became ‘farmer City Mouse’.  I introduced her to one of my father’s childhood friends and he mentored her in the craft of growing food.  Most of our veggies and fruit came from her hobby.  I had always loved southern peaches and the ones that Sonja grew were better than any we ever found in a grocery store.  .The children loved helping to pick the fruit of her labor.  They would all disappear for hours and come back loaded down with a wide variety of food stuffs.  Momma taught her how to can food allowing us to enjoy the items year around.

Momma was at the house most of the time after the children were born.  We had included a ‘mother in law’s’ apartment when we built the new house planning ahead for the day that she could no longer live alone.   She was unhappy with me that I hired a maid.  I thought she had spent enough time caring for her own children and the house.  I was thrilled that she wanted be such an important part in Chris Junior’s and Natalie’s lives, but raising the children was my responsibility.  I could diaper with the best of them and kiss away every boo boo.   I wasn’t very successful in braiding hair, but I could make the best pony tails in the world.  Sonja had to teach both momma and I how to manage Natalie’s very ethnic hair.  Momma was wonderful with all the little braids and beads.

Our family expanded again when Natalie was ten.  I had noticed a tiny little girl in her class.  She never smiled and was often dirty with mismatched socks and clothes.  I learned that her mother had left the household and the father often drank to an excess and neglected the child.  When Natalie asked if she could stay the night one Friday, I said yes.  She spent more time with momma that weekend than she did with Natalie.  She constantly told momma how good she smelled.

That Monday morning I dropped the children off at school and went directly to the Sheriff’s office. Tom knew all about the family.  He said he was reluctant to intrude because the child was never physically mistreated. I asked if would he speak with the father and ask if she could stay with us for the rest of the semester and not have to walk the distance to school in the cold by herself.  Tom was able to vouch for us.  I picked her up Saturday morning.  Everything the child owned was carried in a paper bag.

Momma and I both cried after taking her shopping for new clothes and shoes later that day. Elizabeth picked out one pair of pants, one blouse and a pair of tennis shoes thinking that was all she could have.  I pulled Natalie aside and asked her take Elizabeth back to the racks and help her to pick out clothes that matched or complimented her own clothes so that they looked like ‘ sisters.’  Watching her model her new clothes for Sonja the next week again brought tears to my eyes.

Elizabeth always ‘tailed’ Sonja when she was home.  At first it made her a little uncomfortable because she did not know Elizabeth as well as the rest of us.  One day when Sonja was combing the girl’s hair into braids, Elizabeth hugged her and thanked her for making her look like a princess just like her.  I walked into the room as the girls ran out the front door.  I looked over to see Sonja crying.  “What’s wrong honey” I asked?  When she told me what Elizabeth had said I got teary eyed too.  Elizabeth won her over that day being the sweet little girl that I had seen that first school day.  On her next overseas assignment in Egypt, Sonja bought her a ‘queen _Cleopatra_ doll’.  “Now you can be a princess too,” she sweetly told her.

Christmas came and went.  Momma came into the kitchen one morning with that look that I knew well.  She was determined to get something.  “Sonja”, I said “Momma wants to talk to us.”  Sonja looked at me then momma.  I could see that look on Sonja’s face ‘but she didn’t say word, how do you know that?’  “What is it momma” I asked?  “You’re not really going to send that child back there are you?”  Sonja’s eyes riveted to me. 

“Momma she has a home.” I retorted.  “I think she has a new home here with us Christopher” Sonja says.  I quickly realized that the conversation was over and that I had no say in the decision.

Tom and I made another visit to the country side.  I think that Elizabeth’s father was actually relieved.  I told him that Natalie had become attached to Elizabeth and that he would be doing us a favor letting her stay and be a companion to our daughter. 

Thus our multi-cultural family expanded to include a tall, blonde, blue eyed beauty.  It was a joy to watch her bloom.  She took the piano and quickly surpassed our two children on the instrument.  She ended up with a music scholarship eventually earning a Master’s Degree in piano performance and became one of the best known piano teachers in the Alabama collegiate system.

One day Elizabeth approached momma about what to call us.  We knew she was particularly drawn to both Sonja and momma suspecting that she missed the mother she never really knew.  Momma brought the subject up at Thanksgiving as we sat around the table.  First she asked Elizabeth to pray.  “Everyone, I asked the newest member of our family to pray, go ahead Beth.”  “Dear God, thank you for this food.  Thank for helping papa LaSalle to find just the right turkey for our table.  Thank you for letting me live in this beautiful house with these nice people.  Thank you for letting me have a new grandma who loves me. Thank you for letting us have a fine day today.  Amen.”

Half way through the meal momma asked why Beth called her grandma and did not call Sonja and I mom and dad.  There was silence until CJ spoke up “well I vote that Elizabeth be able to call mom and dad mom and dad too!”  Enough said.  The topic was closed.

The next day there was a knock at the door.  It was Tom.  He said that Elizabeth’s birth father wanted to meet with me.  I had time then and suggested we go right now if that was okay. 

“Look LaSalle” he said “I have a chance at a job out west.  I really don’t want to take Elizabeth out of school and would like to leave her here to get her education.  Would you and your wife consent to taking legal custody of Elizabeth?”   That was a no brainer.  Six months later, we received a letter in the mail.  It was a full custody release of Elizabeth which allowed us to adopt her.

Our children had always made Mother’s Day special for Sonja and Momma.  They scurried about in secret working on their present or snuck them in from school if Sonja was in the house.  We sat around the table that Sunday as the two women open their presents.  The children just beamed at the approval to their gifts.

“Well, children, this year I have a gift for you” Sonja said.  They looked on curiously.  “Who wants to open it?”  “I think Elizabeth should” I spoke up. She quickly tore open the box and pulled out the picture frame inside.  It was headed “The LaSalle Family.”  It had an individual photo of each of the five of us.  “Elizabeth, open the envelope.”   Sonja said. It was the adoption petition.  “Elizabeth”, I said, “that is a petition to the court.  We would like for you be an official member of our family but we need your approval before we file the paperwork for you to become our daughter.”  “Oh, yes”, she said before she burst into tears.  The children clapped as momma and Sonja cried. 

It only took a few weeks to have the process completed since she was legally surrendered and had been in our home for almost a year already.  We all went to court together that Thursday afternoon.  The judge told us how lucky we were to have found each other and wished us all well.  Armed with the petition, Sonja, Elizabeth and I went down to the Social Security office on Friday together to get her new Social Security Card with her new name on it.  Her new birth certificate came two weeks later.

The girls had long learned to team up against CJ in most things.  Momma had already been through this with Cade, me and our sister so she helped Sonja and I learn to navigate the ‘girls vs the boys’ situations.

Actually early on, momma had instilled in us how important it was to see the children individually with their own giftings and shortfalls.  Sonja and I both tried to spend time every week with each child one on one which extended to Elizabeth even before the legal adoption.  This provided us the opportunity for that child to speak uninterrupted with us. 

We found this extremely helpful with Elizabeth.  Momma was actually able to help her to realize how we needed to get to know her so we could love her just like her new brother and sister.  We had to help Elizabeth to realize that she could depend on us for anything and that we always valued her opinions and her needs. 

I still remember the look on her face the first time I told Natalie that she was wrong and that Elizabeth was right.  It was that day that Elizabeth finally believed what we had said about her being our daughter.  We were not going to let Natalie strong arm her in to doing something that she didn’t want to do.  That day Natalie just went on out and got her bike and rode out to her grandmother’s while Elizabeth went outside and picked tomatoes with Sonja.

Sonja made everyone’s birthday special.  It was a time that we expressed our appreciation that that person was born and that they were special.  The person’s favorite food was prepared for dinner.  On my first birthday with Elizabeth in our home, I asked momma if the possum had turned out good.  All three children displayed faces of both shock and distain and were more than relieved to find out that the roaster actually contained a pheasant.

Three high school students kept us busy.  Sonja volunteered as a coach in track and worked with the conditioning coach in developing a year around training program for young people in the community who wanted to be law enforcement officers or join the military.  Four years later she saw her first protégé accepted into a military academy.  It was hard to live with her for about a month but she deserved praise helping the young man realize his dream.

Elizabeth cheered both basketball and football.  Her knowledge of the two sports created a special bond between the two of us.  She was often my companion when I drove down for an Alabama Saturday game.  Those road trips also made her the better driver of the three kids as she got to do long distance driving earlier and more often than the other two.  She also like to tag along with me on the links and learned to play well enough to make her varsity golf team in both high school and college.

CJ headed off to Occidental hoping to get a Rhodes scholarship award.  Majoring in Linguistics, he was speaking and writing six different languages by the time he completed his undergraduate work.  In the end, he did his graduate work at the University of Edinburgh.  We did not realize the wide variety of disciplines that the school offered.  CJ was also excited to know that the school was the sixth oldest university in the English speaking world.  It appeared that the government was also watching our son.  One day the CIA came knocking at the door.  No one was more excited for CJ than his mother who had traveled the world as a spy.

Like Elizabeth, Natalie stayed close to home and went to Tuskegee University majoring in Public Health Nutrition.  She went on to Iowa State University where she earned a Master’s degree in Food Science and Technology.  She was thrilled when she won an internship with DuPont Pioneer.  She travels all over the world teaching scientist and health officials in nutrition for undeveloped nations.

Sonja and I try to get out on the water together at least once a week.  I am happy that we still acted like newlyweds.  One day I was lost deep in thought.  “Chris.  Christopher!”  I looked up to Sonja staring at me.  “Now just where did you go to Country Mouse?”  “I was thinking about the first day that King and I met you.  I’m not sure who was more shocked that you were actually a cop me or King.  That had to be the best day of my life” I said.  “That day I met the love of my life!”

Sonja smiled and came over and sat in my lap.  “I love you City Mouse” I said. “I love you more Sundance” she replied.  I can’t tell you who was more happy at that moment.  Well, I guess this day it was a tie and it really didn’t matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you cried, didn't you!


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